Detecting device



July 4, 1950 w. R. KANNE 2,513,805

DETECTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1943 2 SheS-Sheeb l Patented July 4, 1950 .tothe United States of America as represented Atomic Energy Commisby the United States sion Application August 4, 1943, Serial No.497,343

- Claims.

. 1 y The inventionrelates to a detecting instrument which is particularly suitable for detecting radioactivity.

It is'an object "ofthe invention vto provide an inexpensive `fluorescent Yinstrument `for detecting radioactivity in-'which a contrasting visual eiect is obtained in-the presence of radioactive substances. It is a further and more specic object 'of the `invention-'to provide a detecting instrument which determines the direction-from which rays yemitted by radioactive Isubstances originate. Further objects and advantages Willappear from the following description.

In the drawings in whichlikereference characters refer to like parts: Fig. Y1 is a perspective View of one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1,; Fig. 3 is a View taken on line 3 3 of Fig, 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to the view shown in Fig. 2 of a modified form of the invention; Fig. 5 is a view taken inline` 5-5 of Fig. `4.;.Fig. 6 is a plan sectional view of a further modiiication of the invention; and Fig. 7 is a View taken on line "l-'l of Fig.V 6. A

. Briefly-.the invention comprises an instrument for observing -fiuorescence .having .in .combination therewith elements Vfor absorbing-radiant energy. Such elements, referredto as absorbers, are positioned on the instrumentin such a manner that in the ypresence of radioactive substances the flui.

crescent 4effect is clearly indicated by the contrast between the fluorescing portion of the instrument and the non-iluorescing portion covered by the absorbers. While the contrast obtained by .the use .of the-absorbers aids observation of the .fluorescent effect, it has afurther and more important function of indicating .to .the observer ythe direction .from Which the. radiant energy .causing the iiuo-rescence is originating. Such drection-iinding is accomplished bypositioning the .absorbers so as to cause various patterns to be .formed-on the fluorescing portion of the instru- :ment depending upon the location of the source of the radioactivity.

As shown. in the drawings,.the detecting in". strument i comprises a screen 2 and .an eyepiece which are maintained in the proper apposite relationship by supporting .means 4. The screen 2 is formed of arfiuorescent material 5 on abase t, whichmay be of glass, fabric, .cardboard ory other .material .having suicient structural strength to carry the uorescent material and which will permit passagetherethrough of rays v emitted by radioactive substances.'Y The .fluores- ...centmaterial maybe zinc. sulfide, ,calcium 'QU-.nsf .pl

(Cl. Z50-78) state or other material which will--be activated upon exposure to radioactive substance. The iluorescent material is applied tobase E in anyconvenient mannner.

Eyepiece 3 comprises a portion of supporting means i and may consistof an opening. 'lofi-suincient diameter to `permit observation Yof screen 2. In the simplest form-.of the invention; the'function of the eyepiece may be performedby ends 8 of the supporting fmeans. If desired,-eyepiece 3 in the `formfshovvn in Fig. v2 may include one or more lenses (not shown) of proper focal length to aid observation of the-screen.

Screen 2 and eyepiece 3 may-be attached to and supported by means ll in proper apposite posi- .tion to permittbe screen-to be observed through therethrough of rays emitted by radioactive Vsubstances. Suchsupporting meansshould be sufciently strongfto properly supportscreen 2 and may consist of cardboard, heavy fabric, or the like. The supporting means Ltogether with eyematerial 5.

piece 3, completely -encloses, except for opening For purposes `of convenience, supporting means l may be-constructed so that screenv 2 will normally rest adjacent to eyepiece 3 and yet be eX- y tended to the proper distance Vforobservation when the detector is in use. As Ashown in Figs. 1 and 2, supporting means 4 may lbe Inadein two or more-portions, theportions telesccping within each other. The supporting means may also be made extensible in any otherconvenient-manner as by using a heavy fabric properly .creased to form a folding bellows.

To. insure'proper observation of the iiuorescent eiect, and particularly to indicate to the-observer the location of radioactive substances, absorbing elements may: be kplaced overportions `of screen E to absorb rays emitted by radioactive .materials and thereby preventactivation of the covered portions of the fluorescent material. Generally, such absorbersmay be of any material such as lead, copper, or thelike, in convenient; shapes and sizes which will prevent the penetration of radioactive rays therethrough to screen 2. vLead strips one-eighth inch to .one-quarter inch square in cross-section and yof suitable length may be used for this purpose. Theabsorbers. may be attached to screen 2 in any conventional manner.

As shown in Figs. 1 2, and 3;..absorbers 9 areseuntil indicated by the instrument. It is contern-r plated that such circumstances would exist Where radioactive materials are distributed in a military operation. In such case, the observers gradual approach to the radioactive material would cause the fluorescent effect on screen 2 to take place so slowly that the observers eye, ad-

justing itself to the increasing light, would fail to K observe the luminosity of the screen unless aided by the contrast resulting from the use of the absorbers. An important function of the absorbers is'that of indicating the location yof the radioactive substances by creating shadow patterns on the fluorescent screen. In the absence of radioactive material, screen 2 Will be nonluminescent. Where there is radioactive -material located behind the observer, the direction :from which the rays are originating is indicated by the fact that the screen is uore'scent and does not show shadow patterns created by absorbers, such as absorbers 9, on the exterior surface of the screen. In such case, rays may also be coming from in front of the observer, al-

though this can be ascertained only by pointing the instrument in the opposite direction to see if the same fluorescent effects Without shadow patterns are obtained.

Where the rays are originating :from a point in frontof the observer, this is indicated by shadow patterns created on screen 2 by absorbers 9 which absorb the rays and prevent the portions of the screen covered by the absorbers from becoming luminescent. The approximate location of the radioactive material in front of the observer will be indicated by the particular pattern cast on the screen: where the radioactive substance is directly in front of the observer the absorbers 9 will be clearly outlined on the screen in their actual dimensions; where the radioactive substance is to the side and in front of the observer the outline of the absorbers Will be enlarged and somewhat distorted inasmuch as the rays are striking the screenv at an angle. To ascertain the exact location of the radioactive substance, the device may be manipulated until the exact pattern of the absorbers is shown on the screen. Where the screen is luminescent and without shadow patterns, indicating that there is radioactivity in the rear of the observer, the device may be pointed in the opposite direction to ascertain the exact location of the radioactive substance.

A modification of .the invention is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in which absorbers I0, which may be similar to absorbers 9, are positioned on the interior surface of the screen in such a manner as to create a distinctive pattern on screen 2. While absorbers I0 do not have a primary direction finding function, they do servey to provide a contrast effect which aids the observer in detecting the fact that the screen is luminescent or ,non-luminescent which in itself indicates the direction ofV the radioactive substance when the pattern of absorbersv 9 is not shown on the screen.

` Where only the pattern of absorbers l0 S'ShQWn,

4 the presence of radioactivity behind the observer is always indicated. Where the pattern of both absorbers 9 and I0 is shown, the presence of radioactivity in front of the observer is indicated.

Inasmuch as absorber I9 always causes its pattern to be shown on the screen irrespective of the direction from which the radioactive rays are coming, the same eiect may be obtained by either omitting fluorescent material 5 from those Aportions of the interior surface of the screen 2 vthat would be otherwise covered by absorber IU or covering such portions with an opaque substance. Therefore, references to absorbers I0 may be considered as including other means for masking portions of the interior surface of screen 2 irrespective of the ray-absorbing properties of such means.

` A further modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 6 and 'I in which screen 2 includes side screens 2 and 2". The side screens are positioned at an angle, such as an angle of approximately 45, between screen 2 and supporting means 4. Side screens 2' and 2 comprise fluorescent material 5 and 5 applied to base portions 6' and 6". On the exterior surface of the side screens are attached absorbers il and I2 which are similar to absorbers 9. Absorbers II and I2 form a pattern which is preferably different from that formed by absorbers 9.

rlhe inclusion of side screens 2 and 2 increases the effectiveness of the detecting device as a direction finder by indicating the location of the radioactive material not only in front and in back of the observer, but also as to either side. Where the rays from radio-active substances are originating only in front of the observer, screens 2, 2', and 2 will be luminescent with the shadow patterns of absorbers 9, II, and I2 being shown on their respective screens. Where the radioactive substance is located behind the observer, screens 2, 2', and 2" will be luminescent without the shadow pattern of the absorbers on the exterior surface of the screens being shown. Where the rays are originating at the left ci the observer, screens 2 and 2 will be luminescent, screen 2 will be non-luminescent, and the shadow pattern of absorbers II will be shown on screen 2'. Where the rays originate at the right lof the observer, screens 2 and 2" will be luminescent, screenZ will be non-luminescent, and the shadow pattern of absorbers I2 will be shown on screen 2". y

Where the rays originate from directions other than those mentioned, other patterns will be seen by the observer. as, for example, Where the rays originate from a point between in front and to the left of the observer, screens 2 and 2 Will be luminescent, screen 2" will be non-luminescent, the pattern of absorber I I will be shown on screen 2', and the pattern of absorbers 9 and I9 will be shown on screen 2. In the absence of radioactive substances, all of the screens will be non-luminescent.

The above detailed description is for purposes of illustration and the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. The term within the safety limits of said radiation field as used in the claims is intended to denote presence within an area where radioactivity, if present, is below a radioactivity intensity which would tend to be injurious to living bodies.

What is claimed is:

1. In an instrument for detecting radioactivity,

' the combination of a plurality of iiuorescent screens facing in different directions and at lrea s t one absorber associated with the exterior surface of one of said screens and partially shielding the screen with which it is associated.

2. In an instrument for detecting radioactivity, the combination of a, plurality of fluorescent screens facing in different directions and at least one absorber associated with the exterior surface of each of said screens and partially shielding the screen with which it is associated.

3. A portable device for detecting radioactivity comprising a plurality of fluorescent screens facing diierent directions each having an absorber partially shielding the screen associated therewith, an eyepiece for observing said screens, and means for maintaining said screens and said eyepiece in apposite relationship, said plurality of screens including a forward screen maintained directly in front of said eyepiece by said means and a screen on either side of said forward screen, said side screens being maintained by said means at an angle with respect to said forward screen, and said screen adapted to provide an increasing luminescence resulting from the gradual movement of said instrument into the radiation field of a radioactive substance whereby a uorescent contrast pattern is formed on said screen within the safety limits of said radiation field.

4. A method of detecting the direction of .propagation of radiation emitted by a radioactive source of unknown location which comprises moving a portable detecting instrument comprising a iiuorescent screen and an absorber partially shielding one side thereof, into a radiation eld, viewing the opposite side of the screen and when a uorescent pattern has been produced reversing the position of the screen and the absorber and comparing the patterns produced on the screen.

5. A method of detecting the general direction of a radioactive source of unknown location which comprises viewing one side of a plurality of fluorescent screens each of which faces a dierent direction and has a radioactivity absorber shielding a portion of the opposite side thereof, comparing the patterns produced on the screen by the shadow of the absorbers and thereby ascertaining the general direction of the source.

WILLIAM RUDOLPH KANNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 788,151 Hall Apr. 25, 1905 1,242,377 Schmidt Oct. 9, 1917 1,370,640 Granger Mar. 8, 1921 1,948,552 Weber et al. Feb. 27, 1934 2,270,307 Karnes Jan. 20, 1942 2,322,082 Wynd June 15, 1943 2,334,765 Hermann Nov. 23, 1943 2,349,754 Porter May 23, 1944 

